“There is something about safari life that makes you forget all your sorrows and makes you feel as if you had drunk half a bottle of champagne bubbling over with heartfelt gratitude for being alive”
Such are the words of the novelist Karen Blixen who aptly describes the feeling of elation that engulfs every part of your being while experiencing a safari. It is true that there is no feeling quite like it. Knowing that at anytime you may see something of the marvellous, a pride of lions, a herd of buffalos or elephants, is enough to make your adrenaline spike, creating a feeling of absolute bliss and uncontrollable excitement.
As readers we get to live the thrill of the wild through the stories and images captured and retold by the ranging team. This month has been no different and has provided us with countless tales and incredible photographs.
The pictures below will surely inspire you, and may even make you feel some of the delight that these sightings have roused in us!
Enjoy our roundup of the best of September…
Seeking shelter. A small head and trunk framed by a massive body. Photograph by Simon Smit.
A one of a kind sighting of a hyena vs lion fight that has left us all in amazement! Photograph by James Tyrrell.
The Marthly male had stolen this kill – an nyala calf – from his daughter the Mashaba Young Female, who was still perched up at the top of this leadwood tree, watching her hard-earned meal disappear down the trunk. Photograph by James Tyrrell.
Two scrub hare leverets suckle in as dusk turns to night. Photograph by Andrea Campbell.
On the 18th September three separate wild fires spread through the northern and southern sections of the Sabi Sand Game Reserve. Fortunately no camps in the area were damaged but fairly large areas of land were burnt. Photograph by Simon Smit.
The Mhangeni pride readies themselves to begin their evening activity across the scorched earth of Marthly. Photograph by Lucien Beaumont.
Golden glow – one of the young Sparta males – they are growing up so fast! Photograph by Trevor McCall-Peat
A graduated coat. Photograph by Simon Smit.
On 22 September the world once again acknowledged rhinos on a day especially dedicated to bringing attention to the plight that they face in the poaching onslaught. Photograph by Trevor McCall-Peat.
Some of the last moments spent with the wild dog pack who have now shifted their den site off Londolozi. Photograph by: Mike Sutherland.
Written by: Kate Collins.
Photographed by: Simon Smit, James Tyrrell, Mike Sutherland, Lucien Beaumont, Andrea Campbell and Trevor Ryan McCall-Peat.
Amazing images. It was a fantastic month, with incredible pictures.
It really was! Thank you Marinda.
May you have rain soon – ghotso pula
Thank you John, we’ve already had some rain, hoping for more to follow soon! 🙂
Beautiful photographs everyone and a well written blog Kate! Lucien’s photo of the Mhangeni pride on the scorched earth is really incredible. I’m happy to see they survived the terrible fire and hopefully the coming rains will restore the area once again.
Thank you Jill! What a month it has been, I must agree, Lucien’s image of the pride is incredible.